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Dragon Racer is a fast-paced strategy board game that is easy to learn, but hard to master. It features a unique combination of card drafting and set collection that makes every game an exciting challenge!

About

Dragon Racer

AU$ 23,388

pledged of AU$ 3,000 goal

501

backers

Thanks to all our Kickstarter backers for helping us make this game a reality!

Dragon Racer is a tabletop game that is easy to learn, but wickedly hard to master. It features a unique combination of card drafting and set collection that makes every game a new and exciting challenge. The base game comes with cards for 2-4 players, but if you add two sets together you can play with up to 8 friends.

Time: 60 minutes (roughly 15 minutes per player)

Ages: 13+

Two years ago we set out to make a game that would be fun for both casual and experienced board game players. The sort of game you could play with your non-gamer friends and family that you would enjoy as much as they did. Countless iterations and hundreds of internal and external playtesting sessions later and we finally have a game we are incredibly proud of. Now we want to share the finished game with you! We hope you love Dragon Racer as much as we do and we hope you join us on our quest to make this game a reality.

Hate reading game rules? We do too! Check out our preview videos below to see some awesome rundowns of how to play!

In the game you play as a Dragon Racer, one of the few individuals talented enough to train and ride dragons through some of the most dangerous racecourses the world has ever seen. Your goal is simple; race faster and go further than any of your competitors.

The rules of dragon racing are easy; each racer has a team of three dragons to race with. The only problem is that it is very hard to encourage dragons to go the way you want them to. To get them moving you are going to need to enlist the help of other dragons from the surrounding area to cheer your dragons on. The faster the dragon, the more cheering dragons you are going to need to encourage it!

As the game goes on you will be able to switch faster dragons onto your team and use other dragons you collect to sabotage your rivals. In the end the winner will be the player who is able to make the best use of the dragons they collect.

Dragon Racer was designed with compactness in mind. We found we could fit all of the cards needed for 2-4 players inside one small box. But one of the great things about the game is its ability to play just as well with 3 players as it does with 8. With this in mind we designed the game in such a way that combining two sets gives you all the cards you need to play with up to 8 players.

Prototype Components Pictured

One Box of Dragon Racer Contains:

64 Dragon Cards

8 Trophy Cards

4 Double Sided Large Character Cards [+2 Bonus Cards!]

12 Large Race Track Tiles

8 Player Tokens [Dragon Meeples!]

1 Rulebook

The components shown above are prototype quality and the final version will include updated artwork.

Our current prototype of the game uses Rose's art and the final version of the game will feature even more. The game's final artwork will include:

12 Different Dragon Card Illustrations

8 Different Character Illustrations

12 Visually Enhanced Track Cards

And More!

Each game of Dragon Racer lasts seven turns. Each turn players will simultaneously draft dragon cards from a collective pool. The goal is to collect the dragon cards you need to support your specific team of dragons. Unlike other drafting games, in Dragon Racer each round you have goals that you will either succeed or fail at - this creates an exciting and tactical drafting experience. Dragon Racer is built with a number of modern game design principles that make it an engaging game for players of all skill levels. To learn more about how to play download the rules, or check out preview gameplay videos below!

Why Casual Gamers Love Dragon Racer

Easy to Learn:Nothing turns off a new player quicker than needing to spend half an hour learning how to play a game. Dragon Racer has simple rules and was designed to introduce new aspects of the game in a logical order, making it very easy to learn as you play through your first couple of turns.

Simultaneous Turns: Since most of the gameplay in Dragon Racer happens whilst drafting, there is very little downtime in the game, keeping everyone active and involved at all times.

Perfect Length: Most games targeted at casual players are very short filler games. We wanted a game with a little more meat than that. We found that 60 minutes was "just right" for most players and with a set number of turns you know the game won't last longer than expected.

Great for any group size: Since you can play with as low as 2 and as many as 8 players, no one will need to sit out when you play.

Never Out of the Race: There is nothing worse than knowing you are going to lose a game and having to keep playing. Dragon Racer solves this problem by escalating the stakes each turn and giving small advantages to the players who are falling behind. So even if you fall way behind, it's always possible to win an 'Australian Skating Gold'.

Why Experienced Gamers Love Dragon Racer

No Dice, Low Luck:Many games targeted at casual players are filled with lots of luck, randomness is the great equalizer. However we believe that too many random elements in a game lead to an unsatisfactory experience. While Dragon Racer does have some random elements, we keep skill and strategy at the forefront at all times.

Very Replayable: Every game of Dragon Racer is different. The character card you choose, the way the players around you are playing, and the track cards that flip all combine to make the game incredibly replayable. There are many different strategies and approaches to try out and the value of each is entirely dependent on the strategies your opponents take.

Rewards Advanced Skills: Card counting, statistical estimation, player psychology - all of these difficult skills can give you a great edge in Dragon Racer. Your ability to predict the outcomes of drafting decisions of other players will give you a distinct advantage.

Learn Fundamental Drafting Skills: From "Magic the Gathering" to "7 Wonders", drafting is an increasingly popular game mechanic. Dragon Racer is a "pure" drafting game and is perfect for honing your skills and learning how to excel at all types of drafting. Learning signaling and establishing what types are 'open' are just some of the basics this game will help you master.

Gettin' Higgy with Dragon Racer [4:02]

A quick video that explains how to play Dragon Racer.

Dice Tower Preview (with Ryan Metzler) [15:43]

A more detailed rules rundown by Ryan Metzler.

GreyElephant Gaming Video Preview [28:44]

This preview goes into more depth and runs you through a full two player game.

Father Geek Game Review

Dragon Racer received the Father Geek seal of approval, being fully endorsed by separate gaming groups of children, parents, casual gamers, gaming elitists, and non-gamers!

"This is a challenging game, but plays casually. There is no such thing as a bad hand and it’s up to the players to do something with it. No luck here. Only skill. Games like this always entertain me and they certainly entertained others." - Father Geek

“Neat ideas in this game. Some I’ve seen before and some are brand new. I like that. I also like how easy the game plays out. Very smooth. Yeah, this is a good game.” - Gamer Geek

Board Game Quest Written Review

"Dragon Racer is a quick and enjoyable card game for all ages and levels of gamers. Easy mechanics and straightforward rules provide an engaging experience for a game that can hit your table in short order." - Board Game Quest

First Place Ranking on the Kickstarter Badger

[5/5] "Great game. The theme is popular, the mechanics are popular, and both work well here. There's a lot of Seven Wonders in this game, what with card drafting and building up your empire/dragons. I love it." - Daniel Zayas

Whiskey Boardgames Written Review

"The more time we spent with out print-at-home prototype, the more apparent it became that there is quite a surprising amount of strategic depth hidden behind the colourful world of dragon racing." - Stephen Heller

Australian Tabletop Gaming Network Review

"One of the appeals of Dragon Racer is how easy it is to learn. I can imagine even those without much board game experience would be able to grasp the basic rules in one or two rounds. That is not to say the game is simple, as I noticed a fair bit of strategy involved." - Lin Htat

All backers will be sent a high quality PDF Artbook featuring artwork from the game. This book will contain behind the scenes sketches, high quality images of all the dragons, and some wonderful text explaining more about them and the world they are from. [Also unlocks $50 Art Book Add-on]

$10,000 - BONUS CHARACTER CARD 1 - UNLOCKED!

Every copy of the game will come with an additional double-sided character card featuring 2 new custom character art pieces. This character will have no natural support color, but can steal the supporting color of other players!

$12,500 - ELITE DRAGON ARTWORK - UNLOCKED!

We will upgrade the art on the 8 unique ability dragons in the game, giving them 'elite' artistic modifications, enhancing the diversity and awesomeness of the dragon artwork in the game. [Also unlocks new $199 Design a Dragon pledge level]

$15,000 - BONUS CHARACTER CARD 2 - UNLOCKED!

Every copy of the game will come with an additional double-sided character card featuring 2 new custom character art pieces. This character has the ability to support in any color it wants, and gains bonus movement by scoring very fast dragons.

$17,500 - COMPONENT UPGRADE - UNLOCKED!

Cards will be printed on 300gsm black core cardstock with a linen finish. Track pieces will be upgraded from cards into thicker tiles. These component upgrades will vastly improve the durability and quality of the game.

$20,000 - DRAGON MEEPLES - UNLOCKED!

We will replace each of the wooden disc player tokens with wooden dragon-shaped pieces (meeples). There will be one dragon shape, painted in 8 colors. This beautiful customization will really bring the game alive, putting actual dragons onto the race track.

$1 - SPECTATOR + DIGITAL PERKS

Get a digital pack with a full colour final version of the Print and Play, plus tons of digital goodies using the game's beautiful artwork!

$29 - DRAGON RACER

Get one copy of Dragon Racer (for 2-4 players).

$49 - DOUBLE DRAGON

Get two copies of Dragon Racer (combining sets lets you play with up to 8 players). Alternatively you can split the sets up, they make great gifts!

$60 - NAME A DRAGON

We are offering you the exciting chance to permanently make your mark on Dragon Racer. Each copy of Dragon Racer comes with 64 dragon cards and each of those cards has a name. At this tier level you can work with us to name one of those dragons. This name will appear in every copy of the game ever made! This level also comes with the standard DOUBLE DRAGON rewards, including the 2 copies of Dragon Racer.

To help keep the game consistent and fun for everyone, we have some naming restrictions all backers at this level must abide by. Each name will need personal approval and may be denied at our discretion. If your name idea is knocked back we will work with you to choose another name everyone is happy with.

Naming Restrictions:

The name must not exceed 15 characters in length (inc. spaces)

The name must not be rude or vulgar

The name must not include any intellectual property from other franchises

The name must be appropriate for a dragon in a fantasy setting

$140 - RETAIL RACER

Get 6 copies of the game at the cheapest price per copy. This is a great level to go in for with friends and is also ideal for small retailers who would like a few copies for their shelves.

$199 - DESIGN A DRAGON

This pledge level is an upgraded version of the "NAME A DRAGON" pledge level above. Please read that pledge level for rules on naming dragon cards. In addition to naming a dragon you will also get the chance to direct what type of modifications you would like made for the "elite" version of the artwork. There are 8 dragons in the game with abilities and each of those will have custom "elite" artwork thanks to our $12,500 stretch goal. Here is an example of modifications for an "elite" dragon:

When the artwork for each normal dragon in the game is complete, backers will be able to pick which of these they want and will then help us come up with ways to modify the 'elite' version of it. Picking dragons will happen in backer order, so get in early to get your top choice! Alterations include things like color, extra horns, details, anything you can imagine really. We will retain the final say and control over the artwork, but we will work with you to truly make the dragon design your own.

Add-ons are extra products you can add to your order by simply adding extra funds on top of the pledge level you choose.

1. Artwork Prints [$12 + Shipping]

Now you can add professional Dragon Racer artwork prints to your order. These full color prints will be 5" x 7" (12.7 x 17.8 cm), the standard photo size that is perfect for framing, and printed on thick acid free cardstock to ensure they last for decades. Each will be hand signed with Rose's red signature seal. Every piece of dragon art and character art from the game will be available, meaning that currently you have a selection of 12 regular dragons, 8 elite dragons, and 12 characters to choose from.

Example Prints from Rose's Online Store, Drawings of Heroes

To add prints to your order, simply add $12.00 for each print you would like. These come with free shipping to Australia. If you are outside of Australia please add an additional one-off cost of $8 extra for shipping. You only need to add the $8 once, regardless of how many prints you order.

For example to buy 3 prints shipped to the USA would cost $36 for the prints + $8 for shipping, for a total of $44.

We will contact you after all the artwork for the game is complete to let you choose which prints you would like.

2. Dragon Racer Artbook [$50]

The Dragon Racer Artbook was unlocked as the first completed stretch goal of the project. This gives every backer a free digital copy of the artbook as a part of their digital perks. But for those of you who want a beautiful way to display the art from the game in your home, look no further than this $50 add-on.

This book will contain behind the scenes sketches, high quality images of all the dragons, and some wonderful text explaining more about them and the world they are from. It will also contain some snippets on game and card design and all the behind the scenes goodies you would expect.

The printed copy is $50 (including free shipping anywhere in the world). It will be a softcover coffee table style artbook on standard portrait sized paper (7.74" x 9.75"). We expect it to be a beautiful premium addition to your pledge. The high price point is an inevitability given the very limited print run we will be doing.

3. Extra Copies of Dragon Racer

You may add as many extra copies of Dragon Racer to your order as you like. You can add copies at the same price points as the three levels we already offer them at. That is:

+1 Copy of Dragon Racer = $29 + Shipping

+2 Copies of Dragon Racer = $49 + Shipping

+6 Copies of Dragon Racer = $140 + Shipping

Add shipping costs as you normally would for your location (see each pledge level for details).

For example if you wanted 3 copies of Dragon Racer shipped to Australia it would cost you $49 + $15 for the DOUBLE DRAGON pledge level, plus another $29 + $10 for the extra copy, for a total of $103.

You can always manage your pledge to add extra add-ons at any time.

Shipping for each reward level is included in the pledge description. Kickstarter's new shipping system means it will automatically prompt you to add the correct amount for shipping to your pledge. We will be collecting shipping addresses from you again right before we ship the final game out. That way if you move addresses there will be no problems. We are committed to shipping the game to backers before August 2015.

Unfortunately it is cost prohibitive for us to manufacture or ship the game directly from Australia, hence the shipping cost. However we have been able to provide a significant shipping discount to Australians because we plan to do a bulk shipment into the country.

We have placed our international shipping fees at competitive levels. We will do our best to ensure the game is shipped EU-friendly.

Rose Hammer, Myles O'Neill, Luke English

Thylacine Games is a small Australian board game development company founded in 2012 by Myles O'Neill & Luke English. The company earned its initial funding through a $10,000 Innovation ACT Business Development Grant. With this funding the artistic talent of Rose Hammer was brought onto the team. We all have full time jobs or university commitment consuming our real lives, making board games is a good escape from that.

We are named after a recently extinct Australian marsupial also known as the Tasmanian Tiger. Yes, you're right, it *is* the coolest marsupial ever.

Avatars

THANKS FOR BACKING US!

Risks and challenges

Dragon Racer is a complete game, the challenges that lie before us are in the completion of our artistic goals and the process of manufacturing and shipping the final product.

We are confident in our ability to complete the remaining artwork in a timely manner at the same high level of quality you have seen in the artwork already revealed.

Manufacturing and shipping board games worldwide is no easy feat and there are numerous steps in the process that might cause delays to the project. That said, we have factored the possibility of such delays into our estimation for when the game will be delivered.

Given the success we've had with the funding of this project we will be using traditional manufacturing to mass produce the game. This will give us more scope for even higher quality game components and the potential to get the game into brick and mortar games stores.

This is our first publishing product, but we are very confident in our ability to get the game manufactured and in backer hands before our delivery date.

Support

Select this reward

Pledge AU$ 1 or more
About $0.87

SPECTATOR + DIGITAL PERKS

As thanks for supporting our Kickstarter campaign we will send you a full colour PDF Print & Play version of the finished game! We will also send you a number of digital goodies including exclusive avatars, desktop wallpapers, and high resolution artwork. Digital perks are included in all pledge levels.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 60 or more
About $52

NAME A DRAGON [~$51 USD]*

Make your permanent mark on the game by naming one of the dragon cards!** (see additional information) + 2 copies of Dragon Racer (combining sets lets you play with up to 8 players) + digital perks + all stretch goals.

Free shipping within the USA, $15 to Australia, $20 to Canada, $25 Worldwide.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge AU$ 199 or more
About $174

DESIGN A DRAGON [~$170 USD]*

Not satisfied with simply naming a dragon? At this pledge level we will get you involved in the design process and you will be able to describe the types of enhancements you would like to see on one of our 'elite' ability dragons. You also get to name the dragon! (see additional information)** + 2 copies of Dragon Racer (combining sets lets you play with up to 8 players) + digital perks + all stretch goals.